After completing a primary degree in Zoology James pursued a PhD in the emerging area of Health Literacy. Subsequently he worked with an industry-led research group that focused on costing and mapping dementia care pathways, and also coordinated a programme for building research capacity among specialised and advanced nurses in Ireland. Prior to moving to the ECEHH James worked as a research fellow with The NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South West Peninsula (PenCLAHRC). James’ research interests span a broad range of public health and health services research with a focus on evidence synthesis and the development and conduct of complex interventions for human health.

Latterly James has been able to merge his interest in complex interventions development with an interest in the use of nature-based interventions, as therapeutic interventions for mental health on the MRC funded Nature on Prescription Project. Translating research into resources that are practical and valuable in the real world is a strong motivation in Dr Fullam’s work, the most recent example being the production and release of a Nature on Prescription handbook for providers of nature-based interventions.

Dr Fullam’s current research activity at the centre includes:

• Leading a MARCH network funded project on the sustainability of nature based interventions for mental health in the UK.
• Qualitative exploration of the links between mental health and nature based solutions (NBS) on the Horizon 2020 projects, REGREEN and RECONECT